Lock for cartons



March 2, 1937. H. l.. GREVE LOCK FOR CARTONS Filed April 9, 195ePatented Mar. 2, 1937 PATENT orifice LOCK FOR CARTDNS Herman L. Greve,Hollis, N. Y., assignmto International Mailing Tube and Wrapper CompanLong Island City, Y., a corporation Application April 9,

Claims.

My invention relates 4to locks for cartons in which merchandise isshipped.

The object of my invention is to provide a lock for cartons by which thecover of a carton may be 5 permanently locked in engagement with thebody portion, and is adapted to rest under a flap portion of the coverin such a position that access thereto is prevented.

Referring to the drawing which forms a part of the specifications;

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a shipping carton, made of cardboard, inwhich the lock is shown attached thereto as it appears prior to closingthe carton.

Fig. 2 is a view of the lock, shown on an enlarged scale and mounted ona side Wall within the carton.

Fig. 3 is a Vertical sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 showing thelock parts in engagement as illustrated in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a similar View to that shown in Fig. 2 except that the lipportion formed on the side of the tongue of the lock, is shown incontact with the lower edge of the slot formed in the casing or bodyportion of the lock and with a latch portion carried on the tongue, incontact with the under side of an indent abutment formed in the casing.

Fig. 5,is a Vertical sectional view taken on line `.'i--5 of Fig. 2showing the lock parts in engagement as illustrated in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a plan sectional view on line 5-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a plan sectional View taken on line 'I-l of Fig. 4 showing thebell-shaped form of the guiding channel which guides the tongue to therelatively narrow slot formed at the lower end of the channel.

I0 indicates a carton formed with a front inner side body portion I Iand an outer flap side portion I2, an inner cover portion I3, and anouter cover portion I4.

The female casing or body portion I5 of the lock is ailixed to the innerside of the portion II in the usual manner and position, by integralcorner spur prongs.

The male portion I6 of the lock is also attached by prongs to the coverportion I4 in the usual manner by prongs.

The body portion comprises a plate I5 of thin resilient sheet metalformed to provide an oiset portion II in which is formed an inwardlyextending indent IS the lower end of which serves as an abutment for acatch 2I carried on the tongue I6 of the latch.

1936, serial No. 13,403

In forming the offset portion il, a slot I9 of narrow width slightlygreater than the thickness of the tongue I6 is formed, which extendslongitudinally a distance corresponding to the width of the tongue plusthe width of a laterally extending lip 20 which is also offset from theplane surface of the tongue at an angle as illustrated, and forms anabutting element which contacts the lower edge of the slot I9 in oneposition, as illustrated in Figure 4.

The tongue It is formed with an integral outwardly extending abutmentZI, offset from the plane surface of the tongue a distance correspondingto the thickness of the metal, and positioned so that its upper endabuts the under side of the indent I8 when in the position shown in Fig,4, the lip 20 engaging the lower edge I9 as illustrated, and in such amanner as to act as a hinge at the point of contact.

In order that the lip portion 2li may pass thru the slot in the act oflatching the lock, the metal of the body portion I5 and of the tongue,changes its form enough to permit the parts 2@ and ZI to snap thru theslot, and thereafter resume their normal form, and thereafter allattempts to unlock the parts are abortive.

It is this feature of the construction that is believed to be new anduseful in the combination.

The normal position of the parts are shown in Figure 2, in which theupper end of the element 2l abuts the lower edge of the slot I9, the lip20 serving as a guard to prevent the lock from opening in case thetongue slips to the position shown in Figure 4, in which position boththe elements 2U and ZI are jointly holding the locked parts in abuttingrelation.

It will be obvious that the lip construction will alone serve to holdthe parts of the lock in locked relation, but l.' prefer to use both thelip and the abutment 2l since it provides a stronger construction.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new:

1. A lock of the character described comprising a body portion of thinresilient material formed to provide a slot, and a latch formed with asingle tongue of resilient material of less width than the length of theslot and having a single lip which extends laterally beyond the plane ofthe tongue and is adapted to flex in passing through the slot inthelocking operation.

2. A lock of the character described comprising a body portion of thinresilient material formed with a plane outer surface and having anoffset portion formed to provide a slot, and a latch formed with asingle tongue of less width than the length of the slot and having asingle lip which extends laterally beyond the end of the slot andoutwardly from the plane surface thereof.

3. A lock comprising a body portion of thin resilient materialcomprising an offset portion provided with a slot and having an indentwhich extends inwardly from the outer surface thereof to serve as anabutment, and a latch portion formed with a tongue of less width thanthe length of the slot and having a lip which extends beyond the end ofsaid slot, and also having an offset portion the upper end of which islocated on a plane above the lip and is adapted to abut the lower end ofsaid indent when the lip is in abutment with the edge of said slot.

4. A lock comprising a body portion of thin resilient material having a'plane surface with an oiset portion provided with a slot, and having anindent which extends inwardly and serves as an abutment; and a latchportion formed with a tongue of less width than the length of the slotand having a lip which extends beyond the end of said slot and alsoextends outwardly from the plane surface of the body portion, and alsohaving an abutting element adapted to abut said indent the upper end ofwhich is located at a predetermined distance on a plane above said lip.

5. A lock of the character described comprising a body portion having aslot formed therein, and a single latch portion of resilient materialwhich is adapted to flex in passing thru the slot in the lockingoperation, and of less width than the length of the slot and providedwith a lip on one side only which extends laterally and outwardly beyondthe end of the slot in swinging relation thereto.

HERMAN L. GREVE.

